July 25, 2015, 9:32AM

It's Oregon's most substantial sales tax maybe ever: Starting in January, early recreational pot sales will be taxed at 25 percent — a temporary measure until fully regulated recreational sales are in place. Full story »

February 17, 2015, 10:03AM

Laurie Todd of Southeast Portland, shown in her backyard, says the issues of quality, compensation and affordability are all linked in early child care and education. "I want to make sure younger providers are able to start a program the way I did, that regulations and expense don't make it prohibitive, and that we increase rather than decrease the number...

February 12, 2015, 2:38AM

I. Explain the problem. "In today's economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever. It's not a nice-to-have--it's a must-have. So it's time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or as a women's issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that... Full story »

January 02, 2015, 1:53PM

Ava Sawyer is among the babies enrolled in the Infant Room at a KinderCare Learning Center in downtown Portland. Under new federal child care rules, all child care workers, even those who don't come into direct contact with children, will have to undergo more thorough criminal background checks. (Amy Wang/The Oregonian)